Maldonado Wk 3 Change 2

Hey fam!

Fun p-day today - we did a 30k bike ride. Started at the house, went to the beach, and took the rambla (the avenue that runs along the beach) and went all the way around Punta del Este up to La Barra and then back home on Aparicio Saravia. Maybe you can find a map somewhere. Pretty big ride. The other day Elder Polera and I did a 20k ride from our house to Portuzuelo to Punta Ballena back home. Pictures attached from the ride today.

thorderson.jpg is yours truly on the Punta del Este harbor.

thugnasty.jpg is Elder Polera and me on the road.

punta.jpg is a picture of us four (Villafuerte, me, Polera, and Wheeler) overlooking Punta del Este.

(Amanda note: And this, my friends is what 4 Elders living in one room looks like. Both mothers are mortified, but not really surprised!)

Let's see... Friday we have Zone Conference. We aren't really sure what's happening, but it looks like Pte Da Silva is going back to the Ashby way and combining the zones for Zone Conference. That means that we'll be going to Montevideo, and I am pretty sure Elder Smeltzer is going to be there. Huzzah.

Well we put a baptismal date with Romina. Her mom also wanted to talk to us, and we think that if we work with her with extra care, she can get baptized too. Romina is going to participate in a Primary activity this Saturday, it should be pretty cool. She wants to get baptized April 10th. Elder Polera and I feel pretty good about it, because that gives us time to help her understand what her mom doesn't - that you cannot be LDS on Sundays and still pray to the Virgin in Catholic School weekdays. I think Romina is starting to get it though. She is doing really good with praying.

When you guys send me the next package, it would be cool to get the GPS. But I just looked on Google Maps and they don't have anything in Punta del Este. OpenStreetMap tampoco. They don't have anything in Florida or Trinidad. I guess you just have to remember that I'm in a third-world country. Also, if you time out a 6 month package for me, I need a new set of English scriptures. I have Dads old quad and I would like to have nice scriptures when I get back, but have time to study them and mark them up and get used to Kings English again. I prefer the Bible and the Triple separate... I don't really know why.

Well quick e-mail today, I had to play with the pictures. Thanks for the vid, I am still trying to figure out how to play mp4 here without downloading QuickTime. Lets see if the FFDshow codec does it.

Love you all, Im praying for all of you.

Oh, happy birthday Dad... did you not say anything in your email just to test me? Haha and happy birthday to whoever has a birthday this week... I don't have my planner so I cant remember who. lol out loud.

Funny story from his companion, Elder Polera, via his mom:

So i got another funny story. All four of us are walking to a lunch, Elder Villafuerte and I are a little ways behind the other two, when Elder Villafuerte ,who doesnt speak English, decides to tell me a joke. He puts his hand on my shoulder and points in the distance and says "Mira, hay un tonto que le esta tocando el hombro." Which means " Look, there is a fool and they are touching his shoulder". So I don't get it at first because I didnt understand very well. But then I got it and he tells me he wants to play that joke on the other two but in English. So I tell him in English it means "Look, there is a fool touching your shoulder." So he runs up to the others and he grabs Elder Wheeler by the shoulder and says this. So they laugh at him and kinda look at him funny. So he asks to make sure that what he said was right and tells them the joke in Spanish. They start laughing and explain what he actually said was different and that he just said he was a fool touching their shoulders. lol. Now all we have to do to tease him is grab his shoulder and say "Mira!" Good times.

Maldonado Wk 2 Change 2--Part 2

Steven singing Happy Birthday to my mother (Nanny) who turned 80 last week!

Maldonado Wk 2 Change 2--Part 1

Hey fam!

Fun week this week - mostly because it ended with a baptism! Valentina got baptized, and it went really well. She's super excited. And she brought a friend that had listened to us a couple of times. She liked it too... but Romina couldn't make it (the friend that we've been teaching a lot). But she oddly enough did show up for the cake afterwards (pics included). It went really well... it was a combined baptism with a ward baptism and was awesome.

Oh - so turns out that I am DL again - nobody bothered to tell me - and I happen to get the district with two greenie sister missionaries. Still trying to get this house stuff finished up. There still isn't a phone contract worked out, so we don't have a phone in the new house. The other guys are willing to move today, but really it would just be them and their beds. So we are going to keep waiting for a couple of days to see if we ever get stuff from Deo. If the mission financers have known for six weeks that we are looking for a house, why did the stuff to fill the house not get ordered until Thursday? *sigh* (and yes, I just sighed).

So funny story... we are in the house Sunday doing our weekly planning wondering how the heck we are going to get more investigators and the phone rings. I answer it (because Elder Polera hates to answer the phone) and talk to this girl named Nadia - a 9 year old who went to church yesterday. She said hi, then passed me to the Primary President Sonia. Sonia explained that Nadia wants to get baptized on Saturday because she felt good in the confirmations of Valentina and Augustin, so Sonia told Nadia that she needs to be prepared before getting baptized. So now we have another baptism planned for the area, but probably in a couple of weeks. Score.

Ramos' son got his mission call to the Mendoza Argentina Mission. Ramos is super excited. Just FYI while I think of more stuff to talk about.

Thanks for the facebook links - I'll check those out in 9 months when I have permission to look at facebook! lol out loud. Oh, and the Prius. Elder Polera wanted to date Tina when he gets back, but if she is sporting a RED Toyota PRIUS (those are the two words he emphasized) he won't even consider it. Look up "Jeff Dunham Prius" on YouTube and you'll see why.

Pictures -

baptism.jpg is a picture from the baptism.

the other one is the three girls afterwards - Melani, Romina, and Valentina (L > R).

Romina is so awesome - she said that she prayed to see if God wants her to be baptized as a mormon, and she got an answer that was yes. She thought she made it up, so she prayed again! So funny!

Well, love you guys.

Oh - just to get you guys more trunky -this is a video for Nanny - one alfajor-candle for every 10 years. Video of your dear Elder Thorderson! Try not to cry mom... 9 more months. lol

Maldonado Wk 1 Change 2

Hey fam!

Well changes are today. Elder Polera and I are staying together. Huzzah! Elder Villafuerte is getting Elder Salisbury and Montgomery is headed to 18 de Mayo in the Las Piedras stake. Elder Erickson (in San Carlos, he's in my district) is headed to Rio Branco - and his comp will be Elder Fajardo! whoa.... Elder Villafuerte is taking my DL spot, so that's a load off my chest. With that done, and the house found and rented (we're finishing up the paperwork today)...

We tried to have a baptism on Saturday. Maida (who is a whole story... she has already "failed" a baptismal interview because she smoked half an hour beforehand) was found ready to be baptized. So after getting everything set up and ready, we had a beautiful baptismal service - but without the baptism! We tried five or six times, but Maida just wouldn't get under the water. We aren't really sure why... I don't think there's a really extreme fear of water that needs to be addressed. It was just really weird. I've seen this before in other areas (the sisters in Ferroviario, Florida) but usually they just do it the next week after working with the candidate. But Maida seems to have put up a wall instead of wanting to try to overcome whatever is going on. She's in the other Elders' area, but we'd appreciate prayers for her.

Libonatti fam is progressing. Looks like Valentina is going to get baptized this Saturday! She's really excited about it. Roberto (the dad) had an interview with the bishop and was found worthy to baptize his daughter. So vamos arriba! Her friend Romina also loves to listen to the lessons... and it turns out the story's a little bit more complicated than we thought. Well Romina's paternal grandmother is a member. And her aunt once wanted to be baptized, but never did. So... we've got a foot in the door, I guess. We have talked to the mom, and she's ok with it, but wants Romina to remember that Catholic religion in the Catholic school, and she can do whatever she wants outside of the school. So, we'll see.

Well I am trying to upload a video to YouTube... I'll send you a link when it is done - you'll have to show it to Nanny. :D I would have stuck it on the FTP, but I am dealing with packet loss on my end. Sorry.

Well that's it for today. Love you all!

Maldonado week 5 From Elder Polera

(See Maldonado Week 5 From Steven for an explanation of this email!)

Hey,

Sorry for emailing so late. like a day late, all the cybers were closed yesterday because Mujica was put into office yesterday. So everything was closed for the most part. Next week we will email on Tuesday because it is change week. How about tell Elder Thorderson's mom since we know you guys email each other a bunch.

Earthquake....So, no we didn't feel anything here. Which is okay by me. Apparently though an unrelated accident occured in Bolivia or somewhere, a mudslide killed two Sister Missionaries. We don't have details or confirmation, but i think we will find out soon.

So yeah Hillary Clinton came here and apparently some people were talking to the other missionaries about it and asking why our president didn't come here instead. Just kinda funny to me that they don't completely realize their scope in the world.

I'm doing fine. It is weird to think this change is almost over. We don't know how long we are going to be in an area. All we know is that we are here for 6 weeks which is a change and we might be here 1 change or 6. With the same companion or 6. Nothing is really certain other than the 6 week increments. I think we will both stay here though. But we will find out on Sunday.

As far as talking with mission president and our situation here, we are kinda just seeing what happens and are focusing on finding a house. We think we found an apartment and are waiting to hear from the secretaries. It is a little expensive but in a good location for us. And Hermana DaSilva told us that she preferred houses of two so this would split us from the other guys.

So yesterday we went to La Cruz. E' Thorderson, Moffit and Painter our ZLs and the Hermanas from Piriapolis. So we left a little late and miss the first bus. And we couldnt find another until later. So we waited for the ZLs at the station and went on that bus and finally got to Piriapolis and met with the Hermanas. Bueno. But because of Mujica, all city buses in the country were either not running or only every once in a while. So we had to wait a few hours for the next bus. So we looked for a cyber to email everyone, but everything was closed. So the others decided we should eat lunch and then get the bus. Well, we waited for the bus and after a while it kinda meandered on in, late. Okay, finally, we are going to the hill. We all pay and are on our way. Then we get to our stop and get off when the bus driver gets this idea in his head that one of the ZLs gyped him. So we had to sort that out. Finally we were all ready to go. We walk to the foot of the hill, go through a sweet tunnel thing and then head up the hill. Well, it is pretty dificil. Now would be a good time for me to describe one of the hermanas. She is about 3'9¨ and is not in the best of shape. And the first part of the trail is an old riverbed complete with huge rocks. About 3 feet tall. So we get a fifth of the way when this hermana wants to stop and not go anymore because she is way outta her league. Okay, thats all fine, so we keep going and the Hermanas call the ZL a couple minutes later and say wait for them they are coming up. Well, they make it to the quarter mark and the little hermana just can't go farther. Then she sits down and starts throwing up. Oh boy...So Elder Thorderson and Elder Painter decide to go down with the hermanas and wait for me and Elder Moffit to finish the climb and stuff. So we take all the cameras and take a bunch of pics and stuff. So out of 6 people, only two conqueored the hill that day. Kinda like survivor or something. It was pretty funny on the way up and down because since we were taking pics with the others cameras, we took some goofy pics of us on them and stuff.

And on the way down we got stuck behind this group so i decided to cut on a cutback. It was a 6 or 7 foot drop to a ledge and then a couple more to the trail. So I take the drop and Elder Moffit didn't really pay attention and was running behind me and followed right off the edge. (i dont think the thing moms used to say about "if your friend jumped off a cliff would you?" worked on him as a kid.) I landed fine but he wasn't really expecting it and kinda slid/ rolled down the thing. Pretty funny. We got back down in one piece eventually (surprising because we were doing all sorts of acrobatics for pictures and stuff like jumping off big rocks to other ones unnecessarily.) and met up with the others, showed some pics and headed for home.

......i need a breather after that. But Elder T promised his mom 4000 words would be in my email. I think i may just have to include some pics since they are worth a thousand words a piece.

Well i love you guys and will cya latr.

(FROM ELDER POLERA'S MOM):

Amanda,

You have a very sweet son! I was impressed that he & Elder Painter stayed with the sick Hermana while the other two went on to the top.

Maldonado Week 5 (3/02/10)

Hey fam!

I'm sorry I couldn't get an email to you yesterday... Pepe Mujica assumed office (http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ijsp5qbIheQhLFHPqN5KU8Zzm2OQD9E630N81) so all of the cybers were closed because of the holiday. So we got special permission to write you guys today.

A picture is worth a thousand words... So I am sending four pictures and Elder Polera is going to write 4,000 words. You can send the pictures to Janine, and she'll send you the letter. :P

We went to the cross this p-day... E' Polera and I, the ZLs Elder Moffit and Elder Painter, and Sister Thompson and Sister Guerrero.

hike.jpg is us on the hike. :D

punta is a view of Maldonado from the cross. Kinda far away.

santababy is a pic of Polera and I in a family home evening.

trailblazers is Elder Painter and Polera. These arrows are how the trail is marked... just a dried up river bed. Lots of fun to hike.

Well, I'm sure you'll here from Elder Polera's mom! haha I love you guys a bunch!

A Funny story from Steven's Companion

Elder Polera's mother sent the following message to me yesterday. For those of you who know Steven well, you will know that he is TERRIFIED of dogs! Hates them. And he has mentioned to us before how almost everyone in Uruguay has dogs--and they are NOT well-behaved. So, picture Steven and his dog phobia when you read the following...

I know Cody is really enjoying serving with Steven. I am so grateful that he has such a good companion. I thought I would share what he said last week below.

Take care,

Janine Polera

Last week he said: So Thorderson and I are getting along just fine. We work together really well and can get stuff done. He speaks spanish really well and knows his stuff.

Crazy story:

Right now we are just contacting people all the time trying to find new investigators. So we contacted this house with this old guy. He invited us to sit on his porch to talk which stank to high heaven and there were so many flies. Well he has like 6 dogs and they start wandering over and start laying under our chairs and stuff. He yells at them to leave and then says he will back in a second. He comes out with a stiff rubber hose thing about 2.5 feet long and rushes towards us. I thought he was about to hit me for a second. Then he starts whaling on these dogs and yelling like he is possessed or something. The dogs start to scatter and Elder Thorderson is already out of his chair off the porch. I'm about to jump up and out of this crazy chaos when one of the dogs runs into another that is kinda angry. Suddenly there is a dog fight on my feet. So now I'm stuck in my seat and can't go anywhere and E' T' is just stuck watching. Holy cow, just crazy...Needless to say we kinda wrapped it up quick and left.

MOM NOTE: Can you just picture Steven FLYING off the front porch with those dogs scattering everywhere?! I just laugh out loud thinking about it!